The Philadelphia chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is urging presumptive US Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris not to select Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) as her running mate, citing his support for Israel as a key reason. 

The local DSA chapter issued a statement this past weekend on the “ongoing media blitz for Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.” The organization argued that Shapiro’s alleged failure to fight for “Palestinian rights” and his support for the “Zionist project in Palestine” should disqualify him from consideration for the Democratic presidential ticket. 

“To win in November, Kamala Harris and the Democrats need a vice president who will fight for Palestinian rights, back public schools, protect workers, and defend free speech. Governor Shapiro isn’t hitting those high notes,” DSA wrote. 

“Governor Shapiro is an outspoken supporter of the Zionist project in Palestine, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians and the displacement of millions more,” DSA added. 

Shapiro, a practicing Jew, has positioned himself as a staunch supporter of Israel. In the days following Hamas’ brutal slaughter of roughly 1,200 people across southern Israel on Oct. 7, Shapiro issued statements condemning the Palestinian terrorist group and gave a speech at a local synagogue. The governor also ordered the US and Pennsylvania Commonwealth flags to fly at half mast outside the state capitol to honor the victims.  

Shapiro has condemned protests against Israeli- and Jewish-owned businesses in Pennsylvania as “antisemitic” and resisted demands to call for a “ceasefire” in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. The governor revised the state codes of conduct to bar government employees from participating in “scandalous or disgraceful” behavior.

DSA claimed that Shapiro’s disapproval of the anti-Israel protests that erupted on US university campuses this past spring made him unfit for the Democratic presidential ticket, arguing that his opposition indicated a lack of support for free speech rights.  

“Governor Shapiro regularly equates anti-Zionism and organizing against the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians to antisemitism,” DSA continued. “He’s also compared student protestors to the Ku Klux Klan — a wild comparison — and has been busy fighting against the right to boycott and curtailing free speech. Plus, let’s not forget his love for cracking down on peaceful encampments in our city.”

During an April interview with CNN host Jake Tapper, Shapiro forcefully condemned the pro-Hamas protests on university campuses, questioning “whether or not we would tolerate this if this were people dressed up in KKK outfits or KKK regalia, making comments about people who are African American in our communities.”

Shapiro also criticized then-University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill for her unwillingness to punish anti-Israel demonstrators, some of whom declared support for Hamas, called for the destruction of Israel, and even threatened members of the campus’ Jewish community.

DSA asserted that “Shapiro’s pro-war stance, anti-Palestinian views” will alienate the “young and diverse voters who Kamala Harris’ bid for president has revitalized.”

“We will continue to call on Harris and Democrats to push for an immediate ceasefire in Palestine and to adopt a progressive agenda to energize their base and beat back the looming threat of fascism,” DSA wrote. “Josh Shapiro is not the right man for this job. To keep the momentum going, the Democrats must select a candidate who is strong on these issues.”

DSA, a left-wing political organization that counts members of the US Congress among its ranks, recently pulled its endorsement of US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) over what it described as insufficient support for the Palestinian cause.

The decision came about two weeks after a caucus affiliated with DSA issued a public endorsement of Hamas.

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